Stefano DiMera
"I was ashes but no more...I have risen from the ashes, the one true Phoenix!" '' - Stefano DiMera (posed as) The Greatest Villain Of All Time (by Daytime Fans) | gender = Male | occupation = Crime Lord Former CEO of DiMera Enterprises Owns 49% of Titan Industries | title = He considers himself as The King or Phoenix | residence = DiMera Mansion (430 Lakeview Drive) Salem, U.S.A. 06649 | parents = Santo DiMera † | siblings = Six older brothers Ryan † (paternal half) | spouse = Vivian Alamain (1998–99) Kate Roberts (2009—2014) | romances = Daphne DiMera † Lee DuMonde Celeste Perrault Gina Von Amberg Mai Chin Ellen Hawk † Kate Roberts Susan Banks Madeline Peterson Woods † Cecily | children = Andre DiMera Tony DiMera (legal) † Renee DuMonde † Megan Hathaway † Lexie Perrault Brooks † Benjy Hawk † EJ DiMera † Chad DiMera Kristen DiMera † (adoptive) Peter Blake (adoptive) | grandchildren = Theo Carver Steven Hawk Johnny DiMera Sydney DiMera Grace McCormick DiMera † Thomas Deveraux | grandparents = | aunts/uncles = | nieces/nephews = }} Stefano DiMera also known as The[[The Legend Of The Phoenix| Phoenix]] is a fictional character, a villain on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, played by Joseph Mascolo (1982-85, 1988, 1993-2001, 2007-08, 2008-16). He was also portrayed by Frank Fata for a few episodes in December 1991. He is the patriarch of the DiMera family. Stefano DiMera is the father of Renee DuMonde, Megan Hathaway, Benjy Hawk, Lexie Carver (neé Brooks), EJ DiMera and Chad DiMera and the stepfather of Tony DiMera; He also raised Peter Blake and Kristen DiMera and for a while the Gemini twins Rex and Cassie Brady . He had a nephew (later retconned to be his son), Andre DiMera, who through plastic surgery became identical in appearance to Anthony. In 2010, it was revealed that he has a son named Chad DiMera. He was the father-in-law to Anna DiMera, Sonja Hawk and Sami Brady. Now he is the father-in-law to Abigail Deveraux DiMera. Stefano was most recently married to, and divorced from, Kate Roberts. He is also the ex-husband of Vivian Alamain. He has three grandsons; Theo Carver via Lexie Carver, Johnny DiMera via EJ DiMera, Steven Hawk via Benjy Hawk, Thomas Jack Deveraux DiMera via Chad DiMera. He has two granddaughters, one is still alive and the other died months after she was born; Sydney DiMera via EJ DiMera, Grace McCormick DiMera via Chad DiMera, she passed away months after she was born in 2009. Stefano first entered the show as an organised crime kingpin. Throughout the years, he has become more gothic, especially through his firm belief that he will never die. According to Stefano, he is like a Phoenix, and he will always rise from the ashes to his former glory and power. He is the seventh son of the seventh son; as a 300 year-old DiMera family legend dictates, such a son will never die. He certainly has proven this time and time again. Stefano has "died" eleven times, coming back stronger than ever each time. Because of this, he holds the record in Salem for the most faked deaths. In 2016, Stefano was killed off for good due to the actor's failing health. Stefano succumbed to gunshot wounds, inflicted by Hope Brady, because she thought he was responsible for the kidnapping, and death of her longtime love, Bo Brady. Afterward, many of Stefano's "victims" got together to celebrate his death, and remember all of the pain he inflicted on the residents of Salem, especially to the Bradys, Blacks, and Hortons! His final episode/scene as Stefano was as an "out of character," special vision to his son, Chad, urging him to live his life, and not to follow in his footsteps, or the legacy of the DiMera name. It was a celebration of the death of Stefano, but also, a fitting farewell to, Joe Mascolo, the gifted actor who portrayed him for 32 years!! Bravo, Joe Mascolo!! On December 27, according to Shane Donovan, the ISA located a man who bears a strong resemblance to Stefano's description in Prague, Eastern Europe. The picture that he showed to the SPD is very vague yet the man in it bears a strong resemblance to Stefano. There are also rumours that he is building a power base in Eastern Europe and is most likely the one who took a lot of assets and money from DiMera Enterprises. It is later revealed that the body that was buried in Stefano's grave isn't him and so it is very likely that the Phoenix has risen from the ashes once again. Storylines 1982-2001 Stefano first appears on-screen in January 1982 with his son Tony surveying the citizens of Salem. Stefano travels to Salem shortly after being introduced as the friend of Lee DuMonde and it is soon revealed he is the father of Lee's daughter, Renee DuMonde, which adds complications to her relationship with Tony. Stefano attempts to help Tony win back his wife, Liz Chandler while Stuart Whyland begins blackmailing him and Stefano kills him. In 1983, Stefano is sent to prison thanks to Detective Roman Brady. Before his death, Stefano's wife, Daphne, reveals that Tony isn't his biological son. Stefano returns in 1984 with his nephew, Andre, who has gotten plastic surgery to look like Tony. Together they plan to frame Roman for a string of murders. Meanwhile, Stefano discovers another daughter, Megan Hathaway. Her adoptive father, Maxwell, had access to the "Three Prisms" that could cure Stefano's brain tumor. In November 1984, in his quest to obtain one of the prisms, Stefano apparently kills Roman after pushing him off a cliff. In February 1985, Hope Brady is framed for Megan's murder and Stefano vows revenge on the entire family. He kidnaps Roman's twins, Sami, and Eric, and Roman's widow Marlena Evans shoots him, apparently killing him. Stefano resurfaces in 1988 to claim his son Benjy, who is about to be adopted by Kayla Brady her husband Steve Johnson as well as to attempt to "reprogram" Roman, whom he had brainwashed in 1984–85, to serve as one of his assassins (Stefano actually got the idea about brainwashing his "agents" from former daughter-in-law Anna DiMera who had hypnotized her own daughter Carrie into acting out against Roman as part of a plot to discredit him in the eyes of polite society). He traps several of Salem's citizens on his island but his plans for revenge are foiled and he escapes. In this iteration, Stefano is presented as more of an assassin and international terrorist than a simple gangster.24 In December 1991, John Black and Roman discover Stefano in a Mayan pyramid in Mexico. The pyramid collapses and Stefano is once again believed to have perished. Though he survives the collapse, his brain tumor is slowly killing him. Stefano returns to Salem in 1993 and he is taken hostage by Curtis Reed in his weakened state; Curtis's attempt to extort money from Stefano's adopted daughter, Kristen DiMera is foiled after Stefano kills him. He then convinces Tony and Kristen to marry but the marriage is ruined when Stefano is revealed as the murderer. In an attempt to avoid capture, Stefano speeds away as John shoots out his tires and Stefano's car explodes. Stefano retreats to his New Orleans estate, Maison Blanche where he kidnaps Marlena and John. After the mansion burns down, Stefano buys a penthouse in Salem, next door to Marlena. Stefano sneaks into her apartment every night and opens her soul, which leads to Marlena becoming possessed by a demon. Under possession, Marlena pushes Stefano out of a window; after the demon is exorcised, a guilt-ridden Marlena helps Stefano recover. In December 1995, Tony fakes his death and frames John. Stefano is later struck by lightning and becomes so obsessed with Marlena that he bribes the judge presiding over John's murder trial to issue the death penalty. In August 1996 Stefano's plans to frame John are soon revealed and he skips town with Marlena to Paris, where he is shot by his former lover Rachel Blake. Later, his longtime confidante, Celeste Perrault, reveals that he fathered her daughter, Lexie Carver, the wife of Salem's police commissioner. Stefano brings Kristen's lookalike, Susan Banks, to Salem, impregnates her (dressed as Elvis Presley]]) and plans to pass the baby off as Kristen's baby, which she actually miscarried; Susan gives birth in February 1997 to Elvis flees after discovering Stefano's plan. After recovering from a heart attack, Stefano marries Vivian Alamain in December 16, 1998, and plots to kill her to get back all of his belongings left to Vivian by her late husband–who was also Stefano's employee–Steven "Jonesy" Jones.25 In 1999, Stefano brainwashes Hope Brady into thinking she is Princess Gina Von Ambergand Gina, now in love with John, kidnaps him; feeling betrayed, Stefano exiles her to Paris. In early 2000, the Bradys rescue Hope from Paris. Hope learns she is pregnant and Stefano believes he is the father. Stefano convinces Lexie to adopt a child, and then switches Hope's son with another, leaving the child with Lexie and Abe. In 2001, the truth about the baby switch is revealed and Stefano skips town in June 2001. When Tony returns in 2003, he claims Stefano died in a car accident, but is seen talking to him on the phone many times. Tony later claimed he killed Stefano to cure his own blood disease. 2006-2016 In 2006, an ill Stefano sends his son Elvis, now known as EJ to impregnate Sami Brady, so they can use the fetus's stem cells to improve Stefano's health. EJ shoots John, and they steal his kidney, so Stefano has enough strength to make a full return. It is also during this time that Tony is revealed to be Andre, and the real Tony is brought back to Salem. Stefano learns EJ is not the father of Sami's child, but Sami later gives birth to twins; one is Lucas Horton's, and the other is EJ's. Stefano's favouritism toward EJ leads Andre to go rogue, and he eventually ends up dying after falling off a roof and turning off his life support. Stefano proposes that Sami and EJ marry and raise the child together so they can end the feud between the families. In 2008, the origins of the feud are known and it is revealed that Stefano's father, Santo DiMera, had an affair, and fathered a child with Colleen Brady. That child was thought to be John Black, but has since been confirmed not to be. Stefano had once again erased John's memory in an attempt to turn him to the Pawn again. Stefano is arrested, and Marlena places Stefano in a catatonic state. This only lasts a few months, and Stefano returns to Salem in August 2008. He reestablishes himself as head of the DiMera family, and forms a bond with his grandchildren. In 2009, Tony dies during a fight with Philip Kiriakis, and Stefano has Philip shot in retaliation. Stefano is diagnosed with diabetes, and Victor kidnaps him, and tries to force EJ to hand over the DiMera empire. EJ has Philip's fiancée, Stephanie Johnson kidnapped, and both are eventually returned safety. Stefano reveals to EJ's second wife, Nicole, he knows she switched another baby with Sami's at birth, but agreed to help her keep it a secret. EJ is furious when he learns the truth and he kidnaps his daughter, Sydney, and fakes her death, leaving everyone devastated, including Stefano. Stefano learns from Tony's widow, Anna DiMera, that EJ paid her to care for Sydney while everyone believed she was dead; he uses the information to rebuild his relationship with EJ. In September 2009, Stefano blackmails Roberts] into marrying him after helping her get out from under attempted murder charges. In 2010, Madeline Peterson Woods returns to Salem and after she dies, it is revealed that her son, Chad, was fathered by Stefano, and Madeline convinced Kate to keep the secret. In 2011, Stefano helps EJ kidnap Sami's husband, Rafe Hernandez, and imprison him in a DiMera controlled mental institution, while putting a lookalike in his place. In 2012, the DiMera empire begins to crumble when Stefano learns EJ isn't really his son and Lexie is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor caused by exposure to toxic gasses when Stefano had André kidnap her. Meanwhile, Kate has an affair with Ian McAllister, a past lover, and Stefano files for divorce, taking everything from her. Stefano also turns John and Hope back into the Pawn and Princess Gina after revealing they are married; he forces them to retrieve a precious coin from Almania for him. Several other schemes continue to backfire on Stefano, including his attempt to sabotage EJ's mayoral campaign and him blackmailing Will Horton. Having angered many of his enemies, Stefano is shot and presumably killed in early June 2012. Suspicion for the murder quickly falls upon EJ once it is discovered he knew he wasn't Stefano's son. EJ continuously professes his innocence, but no one, save for Will or Sami, seems to believe him. After a series of explosions rock Salem in early August 2012, EJ flees with Sami in tow, and is subsequently abducted by Ian McAllister, who professes that he framed EJ for Stefano's murder. Ian then pulls back a curtain, revealing a very much alive Stefano, who is unconscious, bound in a chair and wearing a mask. Ian also confesses to falsifying Alice's letter, as well as the blood test that stated EJ wasn't Stefano's son. EJ gets free, knocks Ian out, and leaves Stefano for the police to rescue. Stefano is hospitalized, but soon disappears. Stefano suddenly resurfaces in Europe and convinces his daughter Kristen come home and bring the family back together. Stefano remained absent from Salem for a few months, and was often seen talking to Kristen on the phone. He also wished all his children a Merry Christmas, though a webcam message. When Stefano finally returned to Salem, he was annoyed that Rafe had slept with Kate and ordered Joseph Bernardi, a corrupt cop that worked for him at the Salem PD, to cut off Rafe's privates. Bernardi was shot in the back by Sami, and the razor he was going to use went missing. Sami was arrested, and EJ made his big move on Stefano, ousting him from DiMera Enterprises and the DiMera mansion, but he is soon forced to relinquish everything back to Stefano when finds out Stefano can clear Sami's name. After Chad is shot by Marge Bernardi, Joe's widow, Stefano resolved to be a better man. He and Chad leave town, so Chad can get surgery. While he is gone, Sami and Kate team up to take the DiMera empire away from Stefano and EJ. Stefano and EJ Are furious, but EJ reconciles with Sami, so Stefano sends Chad back to Salem. EJ is killed in 2014, and Kristen is presumed dead after falling out of a window during a fight with Marlena in 2016. Stefano tries to have Marlena killed, but Chad emotionally blackmails him into not going through with it. EJ and Kristen gone, Stefano has continued to bond with his son Chad. Stefano knows Chad loves Abigail Deveraux, and wants Chad to be with her. Chad is suspicious of Stefano's motives because his father is really pushing him to be with her. He reveals a plot to obtain Abigail's Irish inheritance through Chad but it is quickly foiled by Chad out of love for Abigail. Stefano soon suffers a crippling stroke and is left wheelchair bound which ushers the return of Andre DiMera, who is revealed to be alive and his biological son not nephew. Andre takes over the running of the family (and all their ongoing schemes) while Stefano advises him. On January 11, 2016, Hope kills Stefano, shooting him three times after he taunts her about Bo's death. Hope and Rafe remove all evidence implicating her in Stefano's murder, dispose of Stefano's body in an old abandoned building, and set up Andre as Stefano's killer. Andre found Stefano's body, and took his ring to proof he was dead. On March 1, 2016, Stefano's spirit appears to Chad at the DiMera mansion. Chad laments about his tumultuous relationship with Stefano and admits that Stefano was the most terrifying person he has ever met but that EJ and Andre were a close second. Both admit that Lexie was the best of all the DiMeras. Chad admits that although he rejected the type of man Stefano was, he always wanted to make Stefano proud and feels like a pale imitation of Stefano. Chad asks what happened to Stefano explaining he doesn't know who to be or how to move on. Stefano tells Chad he thought his crimes and schemes were all a game but now he is paying for it in ways he never thought possible and he will continue to pay for all eternity. Stefano tells Chad he is a good boy and to be the man he wants to be because nothing is stopping him now. Chad cries and hugs Stefano good-bye. On March 2, 2016, Stefano's spirit appears to Hope at the Brady pub with an evil laugh. On May 20, Chad has a dream that Stefano is at the mansion. Stefano advises him to let go of Abby to protect his son, but Chad refuses. On June 8, Stefano appears to Hope and told her she is no better than he is. Hope said Stefano was a monster, but she admitted she had no right to take his life. Hope tells Stefano she can promise she will look out for Chad, and Stefano says he will hold her to that, before vanishing. On October 31, Andre exposed Hope publicly for killing Stefano. Hope plead guilty and was sentenced to twenty five years in prison in November 2016. Rafe and Shawn worked to find a way to get Hope out of prison. They asked Chad for access to Stefano's personal computer, and found an email from Stefano's doctor that revealed he was already dying of a terminal illness when Hope killed him, and likely forged the evidence that pointed to him as the one who held Bo captive and tortured him, so Hope would be motivated to kill him. When that wasn't enough, Stefano intentionally mocked her and Bo, until she killed him. On December 27, according to Shane Donovan, the ISA located a man who bears a strong resemblance to Stefano's description in Prague, Eastern Europe. The picture that he showed to the SPD is very vague yet the man in it bears a strong resemblance to Stefano. There are also rumours that he is building a power base in Eastern Europe and is most likely the one who took a lot of assets and money from DiMera Enterprises. It is later revealed that the body that was buried in Stefano's grave isn't him and so it is very likely that the Phoenix has risen from the ashes once again. 2017 On January 5 2017; Rafe, Shane, Steve, Marlena, Kayla, Paul and Sonny have set out to locate Stefano, if he's still alive, and to exonerate Hope and get her out of prison. Steve met with Agent Reznik, who speculated that Stefano was in the middle of an arms deal. and set up a meeting. Marlena and Paul tracked down who they thought was Stefano, but Anna was also in Prague and she tried to shoot at "Stefano", who fledZ Henchmen The Legend of the Phoenix/Fake Deaths Timeline The following list is a timeline of Stefano's fake "deaths"; he either faked them himself, was presumed dead, or was reported dead by others. * A stroke in 1983. It was later revealed a fake heart attack, and dates is mentioned as March 8. * His car plunged into the icy waters of Salem's harbor during a police chase in 1984 * Marlena shot him, and he fell from a catwalk as the building caught fire in 1985 (he also had a brain tumor) * In 1991, he was presumed to have died in another fire and cave collapse. * In 1994, his car erupted into a fireball after being shot at by John. * Also in 1994, he drowned near Maison Blanche. * In 1996, he died in a plane explosion. * Also in 1996, he was blown up and buried under collapsing tunnel during a confrontation with Rachel Blake. This was his last depicted "death" until 2007. * In 2002, André DiMera (posing as Tony) claimed that his uncle had died from injuries sustained from a car crash in Monte Carlo. * In 2004, when Marlena and the presumed-dead Salem Stalker victims found a blackened, unrecognizable corpse on Melaswen, André (posing as Tony) claimed it was Stefano. André said he had killed Stefano by draining his blood so André could cure his own blood disease. * In 2007, his death was faked once again. As a setup by the Salem P.D., Steven "Patch" Johnson appeared to stab Stefano to death, but he was drugged and a fake funeral was set up to lure André. * In 2012, Stefano DiMera was shot dead from behind after several characters confronted him about his crimes. On August 16, Ian McAllister claimed to have killed Stefano and on August 20, Ian admitted to EJ that he killed Stefano and planned to frame EJ for the murder. On August 21, it was revealed that Stefano was not killed. Ian used an impostor that looked like him named Paolo. He faked the letter that said EJ was not Stefano's son and faked their blood types in the hospital. * In 2016, Stefano was shot three times by Hope because of his alleged involvement in Bo's death. Crimes and Misdeeds *Art theft and forgery *Conspired to switch Hope Brady's baby with Marlo's baby and give Hope's baby to Lexie to raise *Blackmailing *Murder - killed Marlo to keep her quiet about the baby swap *Drug dealing *Brainwashing- held Steve Johnson captive and brainwashed him to serve as an assassin *Kidnapping *Organ theft; had Steve Johnson kidnap John Black and forced Kayla Brady to remove one of John's kidneys and give it to Stefano *Filled the hospital with poisonous gas and trapped various citizens of Salem inside *Ordered the assassination of Mayor Marino (October 2008) *Illegal diamond trafficking (December 2008) *Accessory to Philip Kiriakis' attempted murder- Philip was shot (April 2009) *Accessory to Philip Kiriakis' attempted murder- Philip was drugged (May 2009) *Ordered the hit on Dr. Richard Baker (August 2009) *Covered up for Kate when she held Daniel's hostage (September 2009) *Masterminded an organ trafficking scheme between Statesville and Salem U Hospital (January 2010 unknown times prior) *Hired a man to impersonate Rafe in attempt to break up Sami and Rafe's marriage (January 2011 - May 2011) *Kidnapped Rafe and replaced him with the imposter (January 2011) *Drugged Rafe to erase his memories (February 2011) *Accessory to rape- the Rafe imposter slept with Sami (January - May 2011) *Accessory to murder- the Rafe imposter killed Fay Walker (April 2011) *Held John and Hope captive in Alamainia and forced them to agree to be turned back into Princess Gina and The Pawn in order to steal an expensive piece of artwork (March 2012) *Had evidence against Will Horton removed from the Salem PD evidence room (May 2013) *Attempted assualt - had a DiMera hitman enter Rafe's hospital room with a razor to cut off Rafe's penis (June 2013) *Obstruction of justice - with held evidence in Joe Bernardi's murder until E.J. agreed to trade control of the empire for the evidence (August 2013) *Stole E.J.'s body from the morgue (October 2014) *Tried to have Marlena killed (May 2015) *Accessory to muReed; went along with Andre's plan to have Aiden kill Hope for her money *Forged evidence to make Hope think he was responsible for kidnapping and torturing Bo *Framed Hope for his murder (Jan 2015-) *Let three innocent people--Andre DiMera, Mike Monahan, and Hope Brady--go to prison for his murder (Jan 2016-) *Indirectly responsible for all of Andre's attempt to kill Hope and Rafe (Jan 2016-Aug 2016) Health and Vitals Suffered from kidney failure and required a kidney transplant (2007) Diagnosed with diabetes (April 2009) Notable Possessions * "Phoenix Ring": The Ring was Stefano's most iconic possession. A gold ring with a black flat square on top. It is embodied with a Phoenix, and said to be the reason why Stefano keeps coming back to life. Andre also wears the ring, and it can apparently bring him back to life as well, since he is the son of the Phoenix. This was briefly contradicted in 2007 when Andre was revealed to be posing as Tony (who was assumed to be Stefano's son), and therefore was Stefano's nephew, this is corrected in 2015 when Andre was revealed to be Stefano's son, and he now wears the ring ever since Stefano's "final death" in 2016. * Portrait: Stefano's portrait has been hanging on the wall of the foyer of the DiMera mansion since 2007. The portrait is iconic and synonymous with Stefano's ownership of the mansion. Whenever he has lost possession of the mansion, the portrait is usually taken down. A safe is known to be hidden behind the portrait that contains valuable items to the DiMeras. * 'The key "to ending the feud: A gold key that Stefano kept around his neck. It was said to contain the secret to ending the Brady-DiMera feud. * Chess set: Stefano had a passion for playing chess, and kept a chessboard. It was his favourite game and he was the best player in Chess ever in Salem, no one was ever able to truly beat him, he wouldn't lose a game unless he planned on it. Whenever Stefano felt he had the upper hand, he would mirror his moves with chess pieces. Stefano would often refer to the people he would use as "pawns", and for the longest time the "Queen" symbolised Marlena Evans, but Stefano would also use the "Queen" to symbolise any women that were important to his enemies. Stefano taught his sons Andre, EJ, and Chad and his grandson Theo to play chess and enjoyed playing chess with them. In 2016, when Hope shot Stefano, his hand symbolically knocked over all of the chess pieces as he fell back into his wheelchair. Stefano Chess Queen.JPG|Stefano and The Queen Chess Piece Stefano Chad chess.JPG|Stefano and Chad Play Chess Andre chess.jpeg|Andre Plays Chess Gallery Main Article: Stefano DiMera/Gallery DAYS Villain Ranks Main Article: DAYS Villain RanksCategory:Villains Category:DiMera Family Category:Days of our Lives characters Category:Characters of the 1980s Category:Characters of the 1990s Category:Characters of the 2000s Category:Characters of the 2010s Category:Males Category:Love Interests of Kate Roberts